Ch 11, Race, Ethnicity, and Racism, Sociology

How do the changing racial categories used on the Census help demonstrate that race is socially constructed?

The definitions shift based on the political, social, and scientific climate of the era

Explain the difference between ethnicity and race.

Ethnicity: Cultural values and norms that distinguish the members of a given group from others. An ethnic group is one whose members share a distinct awareness of a common cultural identity, separating them from other groups.

Race: Differences in human physical characteristics are used to categorize a large number of individuals

Why are Hispanics and African Americans considered to be minority groups in American society?

Minority Group: A group of people in a given society who, because of their distinct physical or cultural characteristics, find themselves in situations of inequality compared with the dominant group within that society.

They have historically experienced subordinate status, unequal treatment, and less power relative to the dominant white majority

In what ways does the recent DOJ report on the Ferguson police force provide evidence of institutional racism?

How does color blindness maintain racial inequality?

Color blindness maintains racial inequality by ignoring systemic disparities, treating race-neutral policies as fair in a non-neutral society, and delegitimizing claims of racism.

Provide one example of white privilege. What does McIntosh mean by "an invisible weightless knapsack"?

1. Make arrangements to hang out with people of one's own race most of the time.

2. Rent or purchase housing in an area one can afford and where one wants to live.

3. Assume that the people living next door will treat one with respect.

4. Go shopping alone without being followed around the store or harassed.

5. Turn on the TV and expect to see other people of one's race most of the time.

Metaphor, white privilege to "an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks."

What is a microaggression? Why is this idea problematic to some?

Small slights, indignities, or acts of disrespect that are hurtful to people of color even though they are often perpetuated by well-meaning whites.

It encourages a victim mentality, spurs anger, and encourages people to jump to negative conclusions in ambiguous situations. Racial minorities often experience brief interactions that send demeaning messages and appear to the victim to be based on their race.

What are three reasons racism has flourished in the united States?

- Exploitative relations that Europeans established with people they conquered slave trade

- Opposition between the colors white and black as cultural symbols was deeply rooted in European culture (white is purity, black evil)

- Invention of diffusion and concept odd race itself

How did the civil rights movement help minority groups achieve equal rights and opportunities?

National Association for the Advancement of Coloured people (NAACP) and National Urban League were founded to promote black civil rights. Large and lengthy movement which lead to the full realization of the Civil Rights Act, which applies to everybody in the subject of discrimination

According to Castles and Miller, which four trends are likely to characterize migration in the near future?

- Acceleration: migration across borders is occurring in greater numbers than ever before

- Diversification: most countries now receive immigrant of many different types - in contrast with earlier times, when particular forms of immigration, such as labor immigration or refugees were predominant

- Globalization: migration has become more global, involving a greater number of countries as both senders and recipients

- Feminization: growing number of migrants are women, making contemporary migration much less male-dominated than previously.

What is a diaspora? Explain the role diasporas play in preserving ethnic culture in contemporary societies.

Diaspora: The dispersal of an ethnic population from an original homeland into foreign areas, often in a forced manner or under traumatic circumstances.

...The hold together factors such as a shared history, a collective memory of the homeland, or a common ethnic identity that is nurtured and preserved.

What are some of the main reasons there is a large gap in educational attainment between Hispanics and blacks in the united States?

Hispanics have by far the highest high school dropout rate of any group in the US and only 1 in 10 Hispanic high school dropouts has a General Education Development credential.

- Large number of poorly educated immigrants from Latin America since the 1980's

- Limited English-language skills

- Children encounter difficulties in school

How do Massey and Denton explain the persistence of residential segregation?

History of racial segregation and its urban form (the black ghetto) are responsible for the perpetuation of black poverty and the continued polarization of black and white. it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle... blacks who could afford to live in middle-class white society decide not to.

Compare and contrast three forms of ethnic conflict.

Genocide: The systematic, planned destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group

Ethnic Cleansing: The creation of ethnically homogeneous territories though the mass expulsion of ethnic populations

Segregation: The practices of keeping racial and ethnic groups physically separate, thereby maintaining the superior position of the dominant group.